Bloody Roses
by tatatsumari
Summary: She left him because she couldn't stand to watch him kill. But now, on one of his missions, he has found her again. Can they find love once more?
1. One

Disclaimer: I will never own Rurouni Kenshin

Note: All lyrics on this page do not belong to me!

Bloody Roses

One

_Oh my love,_

_Please don't cry,_

_I'll wash my bloody hands,_

_And we'll start a new life_

_-"Bloody Valentine" by Good Charlotte_

_The man had screamed and begged for his life-just like the rest of them. But life was just like a flower-fragile and weak. And the margin between life and death had been just a thread. And the thread had been snapped in two as metal met flesh. _

The streets were dark and desolate, each cobblestone tainted with blood from long ago. His sword seemed heavier with fresh blood dripping from it and his fingers were numb with dried blood. It didn't matter, though. He would be home soon. The blood would wash off, and so would the memories of those he killed.

She waited for him by the window, watching the clouds darken over head…wondering if it would rain…Her heart felt heavy in her body, weighing down on her soul. How many times had he promised her to stop killing? How many times had he vowed to stop killing, to quit the life of an assassin….to start a new life….to wash his hands clean of blood? How many times? More than she could remember. And yet tonight he was gone, just like every other night-away on another assignment…leaving her alone. She always waited for him, ready to greet him with her soul and her heart. And each night, his hands would be tainted with dark blood. Dark blood that weighed down on her conscience more and more with the passing of each night, each day-mainly because she loved him. How could he find true happiness-even with her beside him-if he could not create life…only destroy it?

"Tadaima…" She heard his voice-the voice she had come to love with all her heart-from the doorway.

She turns back to him, looking at his hands, dripping with blood. She loved him for who he was-Kenshin-but sometimes, she could barely recognize him with the blood of all those he had killed covering him. He was not the boy she had fell in love with at childhood. He stepped towards her, and she fell into his arms.

"You killed someone today." She whispered into his chest. "You promised you wouldn't…"

"It is my job. I'll stop one day-just not today." He said into her ebony hair.

She lifted her head and looked into his eyes with tears swimming in her own.

"You are covered in blood, Kenshin. I can't see you anymore." Her voice trembled, and she hugs his neck.

His mouth touched the top of her head. "I can't stop killing. Not yet. But I promise you I will, Kaoru. My sword destroys the evil in the world. My master-Hiko-taught me to use the sword. And now I use the sword to rid the world of gangster and drug lords. My sword destroys evil."

"But it's killing me too." She pushed him away from her and looked down. "Don't you see, Kenshin? Every time you kill someone, a piece of me shatters. Please stop. For me….You're destroying yourself. And destroying me…"

"I'm sorry, Kaoru. But I can't stop yet. I promise I will. "

She stood back from him. "It's what you've told me for the past two years. I can't live like this. I can't watch you destroy yourself. I love you, Kenshin. But this is the last time. If you can't agree to stop killing….I-I….I'm going to leave."

His eyes glazed over in surprise. "Kaoru….."

Her tears spilled from her eyes. "I love you! But if you can't stop yourself from killing, I will have to leave! I can't watch you do this anymore! I can't keep on waiting for you every night to come back with blood all over you!"

"I….can't stop. I need to rid the world of bad things….You know I love you….But I can't stop killing….not yet…"

She nodded her head. "I'm sorry, Kenshin. If that is your decision, I'm going to leave. I still love you, but I can't do this anymore."

"Don't leave, Kaoru-"

"I'm sorry Kenshin…."

Like that, she was gone from his life. He could do nothing as she walked out of the door.

"One day, Kaoru, when I stop killing and put my sword to rest, I'll bring you home. Back to me."

Note: What do u guys think of it? Good? Bad? Please review, if you have the time to! 0 v 0


	2. Two

Disclaimer: I will never own Rurouni Kenshin

Note: All lyrics on this page do not belong to me! Thanks to everybody who reviewed! That's: Reignashii, royal blue kitsune, half-breed demon fox, hekate Portuna, and lovely whatever. Also to chi and pinx916. You people rock! 0 v 0 Thanks again. I love your reviews! I'm thinking of putting a twist to this story….But I don't know if you guys will like it…..Hm……It probably be in the next chappie!

Bloody Roses

Two

_I'm so tired of being here,_

_Suppressed by all my childish fears,_

_And if you have to leave,_

_I wish you would just leave,_

_Cause your presence still lingers here_

_And it won't leave me alone_

_-"My Immortal" by Evanescence _

_Sometimes, it is harder to watch the one you love fall apart piece by piece than to be the one to crumble and fall away. Sometimes, it breaks your heart just to see the agony in their eyes-the eyes you love so much. And sometimes, when you just can't stand it, it seems better just to run away. You know you're being selfish…but it breaks your heart just to be a witness to their pain. It's too much of a burden-even for you… So you run away, but deep inside, you know that you need him just as he needs you. But love is a one-sided thing…and you're not perfect. You know you aren't strong enough to stay there and support him. So you run. And hope he can survive without you. Because you can't without him._

Her heart was breaking into a million pieces, shattering into a million shards as she walked out the door. There was an aching in her heart-a piercing ache-that was spreading through her body. She heard his voice, behind her, weak and uncertain.

"Kaoru…don't go…"

She wanted to turn to him, to take him into her arms. He needed her. But her feet led her farther and farther away from him. Because that was the way it had to be. She cried, tears that shook her body with each step she took. _Why can't you stop killing, Kenshin? Why can't you do it for me? What do I mean to you? _She cried with the grief of one that had lost his loved one forever. Because she had. She had lost Kenshin. And her soul was being ripped apart…

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears,_

_When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears,_

_And I held your hand through all these years_

_But you still have_

_All of me_

She had lost him. And she still loved him. Because he had become part of her. And now he was gone. _Kenshin...I'm lost, I need you. Come back to me… _

_I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone_

_But though you're still with me,_

_I've been alone all along_

She needed him. He was her everything. But she had left him. Because she couldn't bear to see anymore blood. But she couldn't bear to loose him either. He had been everything to her.

She walked until she could not walk any more and cried until her tears ran dry. She had lost the one she had tried to protect the most to herself. _I'm in darkness now, Kenshin. Come be my light. Come bring me out of the dark…._

She would never see him again. Her heart would wither away, but it would be alright. She would find others-none that would truly compare to him. But it would be alright. She would dream of him every night, but she would see him in her dreams without blood drenching him. He would go on without her and she learn to live without him. But her heart would remain dormant. Because he was the only one she could ever love.


	3. Three

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the lyrics on this page.

Thanks to lovelywhatever, acceberflame, half-breed demon fox, royal blue kitsune, reignashii, ngaurdian, sapphire amber, and cataracta for reviewing! Thanks a lot!

Bloody Roses

One

_Crawling in my skin  
These wounds, they will not heal  
Fear is how I fall  
Confusing what is real_

_-"Crawling" by Linkin Park_

How long had it been since she had left? How long had it been since he saw the tears shining in her eyes and saw her walk out of the door? It had seemed like just yesterday though time told differently. Everywhere he went, he saw her. Just a glimpse of strands of black hair, a glimpse of ocean blue eyes. He hated it. Everyday in his mind was a replay of that day-of him, unable to stop her from leaving, feeling so pathetic. Day after day he saw her and wanted to reach out to her and bring her back. Everyday he told himself that he would, that one day he would bring her back home. But every single day, he saw himself-not moving, not doing anything to find her. He hated himself for it.

He knew he couldn't lie to himself anymore. He had to find her. He couldn't stand watching the memories of her dance around in his mind, taunting him of what he didn't have anymore. He picked up the phone and dialed.

"Katsura-san, I am sorry, but I need to request a leave from the job."

"Kenshin? It isn't like my best assassin to ask for a leave. It's for the girl, isn't it? The one who left?"

"Hai."

"Well then, I have good news. You have an assignment in Tokyo this coming week. Your target: Enishi Yukishiro, a famous drug lord and mafia leader. "

"But what does this have to do with…"

"Kaoru Kamiya….she's living in Tokyo too."

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"You whore!"

Kaoru felt herself slam against the floor as the man's leather boot came crashing down on her. She stared up at him, her eyes filled with hate.

"What? Who are you calling a whore? Shouldn't I be allowed to have some self-defense when some drunk homeless like you try to carry me off? Can't a girl sit at a bar in peace without getting hauled away by some stupid guy?"

The leather boot came at her again and she rolled to her side, barely dodging it.

"You little scum-you tried to kick me! I'll show you! Nobody messes with me!"

She kicked her foot out, tripping him. His head met the floor with a hard thunk and she left his unconscious body there, in the dark alley.

When had her life gotten this bad? Certainly not when she was with him, the one she refused to think about. She had come here to escape her old life, but the one she had exchanged for it was much worse. She was a maid-a maid living in a tiny apartment, a maid that couldn't help but think about him every single night.

When had she ever felt so lonely? She felt raindrops splatter down on her from the dark night sky and she began to cry. At least when she was with him, she could smile when he came home…. _I'll do my crying in the rain….._


	4. Four

.disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me and neither do the lyrics on this page.

Thanks to Badtz, Joann, Snow Leopard, Theblackdemoness, simplee sweet, Reignashii, Aya 45, Sims are awesome, and royal blue Kitsune for reviewing! Thanks! I'll try to make this chapter longer and I hope you enjoy it! Please try to review-it helps motivate me…

Bloody Roses

Four

_Ill never let you see_

_The way my broken heart is hurting me_

_I've got my pride and I know how to hide_

_All my sorrow and pain_

_I'll do my crying in the rain_

_Raindrops falling from heaven_

_Could never wash away my misery_

_But since we're not together,_

_I'll look for stormy weather_

_To hide these tears_

_I hope you'll never see_

_-"Crying in the Rain", by The Everyly Brothers_

He couldn't stop his hands from trembling slightly as he sat in the backseat of the taxi, couldn't help but notice how fast his heart was beating…He would find her again and everything would be alright. But even as he said those words quietly in his head, he doubted himself. _What if she's happy the way she is? _And an even bigger doubt lingered in the back of his mind like a dark, blotted shadow upon a clear white background. It was a hesitation that only appeared him his dreams, in a dark voice that spoke to him. He had tried to forget it, just concentrating on finding her again, but now, in the empty silence, the voice appeared again. _Why don't you feel angry at all that she left you, just left you because she didn't love you enough to stay? Don't you feel angry, wrathful that she just ran away? She was supposed to stay forever, not leave you hanging there in the dust trying to find her again….Don't you just want to hurt her, punish her for doing that? _He knew that a small sliver of him, in the deepest parts of his mind, _did _have those feelings, the feeling of rage and uncontrollable frenzy…and he wasn't sure if her would be able to control himself when he saw her …He didn't want to hurt her-it has _Kaoru-_and yet a part of him told him that he should… He didn't know if he would be able to hold that part of him down when he saw her…and remembered that she had left him…

"Sir," The voice of the taxi driver shattered his thoughts. "We've reached your destination-Tokyo. That will be forty dollars and thirty nine cents please."

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The tears ran down her face, salty and wet-mingling with the raindrops that splashed down from the sky. _Smile, _she told herself,_ Don't be so pathetic. You weren't like this before. Look at yourself…You were the one who left. So stop regretting it and just smile. Just smile and forget… _She forced the corners of her mouth up…up into a rueful smile, but she couldn't keep it up, the tears just kept on coming. She just couldn't forget the way he used to smile at her, the way he used to hold her hand…

She hoped he didn't hate her. She hoped he wouldn't miss her too much…She hoped that he would just forget her…She hoped…just hoped that they could both live happily ever after, just like the fairytale…But as the raindrops flew down on her and everything became dark, she knew it couldn't' come true...It was her fault for ruining his life…and it was her fault she had ruined her own fairytale ending…………And she started to cry again…Her chest was aching….

She could see the sky turning into dawn's shades of pastel colors-orange, red and pink… She knew she had to pick herself up, gather up the broken pieces of herself and go to work, plaster on a smile like everything was all right, pretend that her past was just as empty as everyone else. Her face was caked in tears and she slowly, laboriously stood up from the cold cement ground, from the dark alley where she had spent the night. She couldn't feel her own feet, even as she trudged towards the place she called home, towards the empty apartment where cold wrapped around her more than it ever did before.

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He didn't know where she would be. He didn't know where he would find her. He hoped luck would strike and he would see her, walking down the street with a happy smile stuck to her face, and dressed in real fur and jewelry. But he also didn't want to see her, wanted to go back, regretting that he had even come this far. He didn't want to see her and then hurt her. He didn't want her to see his eyes filled with an amber craze.

Night had already come and he didn't know where to go. He could go back to the hotel Katsura had already arranged for him, but his feet led him on. He thought he saw stains on the floor, dark stains that looked like blood, but everything he looked closer, he found there was nothing there.

He thought of himself, and he thought of her, and he wondered how they had ever met. She had been like sunshine and he had been like a grey shadow, nothing until he met her. He thought of her, of how she had laughed, of how she had smiled, of how she had cried…and of how she had left that day…The dark stain in his mind grew whenever he thought of her leaving, no matter how much he told himself he would never in the world hurt her…

He heard footsteps, drunken and wobbling steps, coming towards him. He turned around slowly, expecting a stranger, but instead, he saw her blue eyes. When he blinked and they did not disappear his heartbeat nearly stopped. He couldn't move. All he saw was her, standing in front of him on the dark street, soaking wet, staring back at him, and looking as if she had seen a ghost…His mind was cracking in half………The dark stain in his head was growing and his hand was shaking…..

There we go! Much longer, don't you think? Please review and tell me what you think!


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